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1930
18
in controlled flats, and they would be sacrificing an advantage if
they moved to a bigger house. Recently we came across a case
of overcrowding, and the circumstances were peculiar. A man
and his family occupied a controlled flat on two floors. The rest
of the house became vacant and the whole house was bought by
a man who came to live there. Two rooms were given up by the
sub-tenant, at the request of the landlord„ and the rent was
reduced to 9/- a week. The landlord came to us and promptly
reported that the sub-tenant was overcrowding the flat. This
was found to be true and also there was no means of the separation
of the sexes for sleeping accommodation. It was ascertained
that the earnings of the family of the sub-tenant who lived at
home were about £9 a week, and it was suggested to him that
he could afford better accommodation. He admitted this but was
unwilling to forego the undoubted advantage which the Rent
Restriction Acts had conferred upon him. Instead of seeking
a better house, he decided to lodge a couple of his children in a
house opposite his own and they slept there and had all their
meals at home. The landlord was very indignant and wrote
many letters pointing out the unfairness to him. We could not
interfere so long as they did not sleep in the house. It is true
that about a dozen people had their meals in the house daily.
Other instances could be quoted where the occupiers of flats and
houses could afford better accommodation but are unwilling to
forego the advantages they enjoy as tenants of controlled houses.
Another difficulty arises from the disinclination of landlords
to let houses or parts of houses to large families. In some instances
landlords stipulate that they are not prepared to let to anyone who
has children. Such an attitude is difficult to understand, but it
is exhibited. One can understand the refusal of landlords to let
a house to a large family of small children, though under present
conditions such conduct can hardly be called patriotic, to say
the least. Landlords frequently look upon a large family as a
feckless one, and think that the condition of the house will suffer
in direct ratio to the size of the family. To be quite frank,
individual landlords are not unique in this respect. There is a
tendency on the part of local authorities that have erected houses
to have more regard to the ability of the tenant to pay his rent
regularly than to the needs for better housing accommodation.
It has been suggested in some quarters, that some assistance
should be given in the form of a rent rebate to those who have
families, such rebate to be in some ratio to the size of the family.
This suggestion has been made in some quarters, but I am not
aware that it is feasible or possible to carry out in practice. In
very many instances it would not be desirable.
It is well known that many, if not most, of the better type
of artizan resort to birth limitation, and these families are small.
Most of the large families belong to parents whose homes are in